Exploring the World Through Read-Alouds: Chapter Books for Every Continent

One of the best parts of homeschooling is the freedom to explore the world with our kids, no plane tickets or passports required. With the right books, you can travel across continents, experience new cultures, and meet people from faraway places without ever leaving the couch. Stories let us step into someone else’s shoes, hear their voice, and see the world through their eyes.

For older kids especially, chapter books and novels can make geography and history come alive. A map shows where a country is, but a story reveals what it feels like to live there. Whether you are reading aloud as a family or assigning independent reading for your middle or high schooler, the right book can turn a homeschool lesson into an unforgettable adventure.

Why Read-Alouds Matter in Global Learning

Read-alouds are powerful because they work for a wide age range. Younger siblings can listen in and pick up on big ideas, while older kids engage with more complex themes, characters, and history. Books give us opportunities to ask hard questions, start meaningful conversations, and build empathy for people who live very differently from us.

In our home, one of the ways we explore geography is through our Traveling the World 1 and 2 curriculum. These unit studies introduce kids of all ages to the people, places, and cultures of each continent through activities, games, and hands-on learning. But for our older kids, we like to extend the experience by pairing those studies with rich chapter books.

Whether you are using Traveling the World studies or not, these book lists are perfect for deepening your homeschool journey. They are organized by continent, giving you a simple way to travel the world through stories.

Africa Books for Homeschool Read-Alouds

Bring the geography, cultures, and challenges of Africa to life with these powerful stories:

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park — The true story of Salva Dut, a Sudanese “Lost Boy,” and his journey to bring clean water to his country.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Readers Edition) by William Kamkwamba — Inspiring true story of a Malawian boy who used science to change his village.
The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney — A Sudanese girl finds hope and expression through art amid the backdrop of conflict.
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate — The story of a Sudanese refugee resettling in America, told in moving verse.
Auma’s Long Run by Eucabeth Odhiambo — A Kenyan girl dreams of running while her family faces the AIDS epidemic.

Asia Chapter Books for Your Homeschool

Asia’s diverse cultures and histories shine through these novels:

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lai — A Vietnamese girl’s refugee journey after the fall of Saigon, written in verse.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani — Set during India’s Partition, told through a young girl’s diary.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park — An orphan boy in Korea apprentices with a master potter.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin — A Chinese folklore-inspired fantasy adventure.
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis — A brave Afghan girl disguises herself as a boy to provide for her family under Taliban rule.

Europe Read-Alouds for Homeschool Learning

Explore the rich history and resilience of Europe through these unforgettable reads:

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley — A girl evacuated from London during WWII discovers freedom and belonging.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry — Danish Resistance heroes help Jewish families escape Nazi-occupied Denmark.
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier — A Polish family survives the hardships of WWII.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak — A haunting story set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death.
The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson — Memoir of one of the youngest children saved by Schindler’s List.

North America Chapter Books for Your Homeschool

These stories highlight the many voices and histories across North America:

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan — A Mexican girl builds a new life in California during the Great Depression.
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia — Three sisters spend the summer in Oakland with their mother during the Civil Rights era.
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich — An Ojibwe girl’s story, beautifully told from a Native perspective.
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis — A boy searches for family during the Depression era.
Refugee by Alan Gratz — A fast-paced novel weaving together refugee journeys, including one from Cuba to the U.S.

South America Chapter Books for Your Homeschool

Adventure and resilience are at the heart of these South American tales:

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson — An English orphan is sent to relatives along the Amazon River.
Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark — A Newbery classic exploring Incan culture and heritage in Peru.
The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and María Virginia Farinango — Based on the true story of an indigenous girl in Ecuador.
City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende — A magical adventure set in the Amazon rainforest.
The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph — Set in the Dominican Republic, this story explores identity and voice.

Australia and Oceania Books for Homeschool Read-Alouds

These books introduce the cultures and landscapes of Australia and the Pacific:

Nanberry: Black Brother White by Jackie French — The story of first contacts in Australia’s colonial past.
The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble — A gripping dystopian survival story set in Australia.
Walking the Boundaries by Jackie French — A time-slip novel where a boy learns about Australia’s past by walking the old boundary lines of his family’s land.
Dawn Raid by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith — Set in 1970s New Zealand, this story follows a Samoan girl whose life is upended by the Dawn Raids targeting Pacific Islander families.
Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry — A Newbery classic about a Polynesian boy who must face his fears and prove his bravery at sea.

Antarctica Books for Your Homeschool

Fewer novels are set here, but the real survival stories are incredible:

Race to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca E. F. Barone — A thrilling nonfiction account of both Shackleton’s 1910s expedition and the 2018 race to the South Pole.
Survival Tails: Endurance in Antarctica by Katrina Charman — A fast-paced, animal-narrated adventure that brings Shackleton’s journey to life for younger readers.
Lost in the Antarctic: The Doomed Voyage of the Endurance by Tod Olson — A page-turning survival narrative from the Lost series, written for middle grade readers.

How to Use These Global Read-Alouds in Your Homeschool

Exploring the world through books gives our kids the chance to adventure far beyond the walls of our home. These stories provide windows into other cultures, voices from different perspectives, and journeys that stretch our children’s imaginations and empathy.

For our family, one way we make this connection is through our Traveling the World 1 and 2 unit studies. They introduce each continent through games, maps, activities, and projects, making geography exciting for all ages. Pairing those unit studies with the books above is a simple but powerful way to extend learning for older kids and add more depth to your family read-alouds.

For younger kids (or independent readers who like shorter nonfiction), the Where Is series is another wonderful option. Titles like Where Is the Great Wall of China? or Where Is Machu Picchu? give kids a fun, approachable way to learn about landmarks and geography. These books work beautifully as read-alouds or as stepping stones for kids to explore on their own. We even created Where Is Mini Unit Studies to pair with the series so your family can dive deeper into the places you’re reading about.

Whether or not you are using our studies, these booklists can stand on their own. They are a great way to build a global bookshelf in your homeschool and give your children the gift of traveling through stories.